This article explores and puts together eight important factors influencing materialism in children aged 8-12 years using a large sample from Spain. An analysis of the relationship of this set of factors with children's materialism using structural equation modeling is provided as well. Results suggest that external influences are more important for Spanish children than family influences. Finally, the article provides a road map for practitioners as well as government agencies, and suggestions for further research.The rising level of materialism in children and adolescents has prompted growing concerns among parents, educators, and social scientists (Chaplin and John 2007). Children are especially vulnerable and have been exposed to an upsurge of consumption. Aggressive marketing targeting children began in the 1980s (McNeal 1992) and has expanded ever since. In 2004, Schor reported that expenditures in marketing aimed at children in the United States had reached $15 billion a year, up from only $100 million in 1983 (Schor, 2004).Along with children's involvement in consumer society, children's materialism (or a tendency to value material possessions as a path to happiness) has become a research area for many scholars. Over the last 35 years, a stream of research has explored the links between children's materialism and several other factors, such as age (Chan 2013;Chaplin and John 2007;Flouri 2004;Goldberg et al. 2003 This article enriches the literature with a research study that evaluates the influence of a range of factors identified in the literature on children's materialism using structural equation modeling. This study contributes to the existing literature in several ways. First, from a theoretical perspective, the study builds on the background of materialism, and is developed based on previous research and theoretical frameworks (e.g., Dávila and Casabayó 2013). Second, from a methodological perspective, in order to gather more realistic information, a double survey to children (492 girls and boys aged 8-12 years) and their parents (385) was designed and conducted.The article is organized as follows. The second section presents the conceptual background and hypotheses. The third section explains the research study and the results. Finally, the conclusions and directions for further research are explained in last section. BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES

Anti‐consumption movements, as resistance or rejection of consumption, are opposed in nature to the values of materialism or the idea that possessions are essential to happiness. This article links one anti‐consumption practice, voluntary simplicity, to family religiosity by exploring whether parents' religiosity induces reduced levels of materialism in their children. Children aged 6–14 years and their parents in three secular and one religious school were surveyed, and data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Materialism was divided in four factors: money desire, shopping pleasure, possession pleasure and non‐generosity. Results show that parents with strong religious behaviours have children who exhibit less desire for money and less non‐generosity, but experience a higher shopping pleasure. The effects of parents' religious behaviours on children's materialism are both direct and partially mediated by school type (religious or secular). Religious values in the family environment may contribute to increased anti‐consumption lifestyles in following generations.

This article examines the influence of media exposure, specifically TV and the Internet, on materialism in school‐aged children considering the moderating effects of school type, religious, or secular. Data were collected from a sample of 492 children in four schools and was analyzed using correlation tests, PROCESS moderation tests, and structural equation modeling. Results expose the moderating effect of school type. Cultural broadening theory illuminates the reasons behind these effects. In addition, participation in social networks is revealed as a partial mediator in the relationship between the Internet exposure and materialism. Implications for parents and educators hint that, even if children are “isolated” from the overwhelming materialistic messages in media, a time will come when they'll be exposed to these messages (in adolescence or earlier). Discussing the pros and cons of advertising, making children aware of companies’ tactics and explaining the dangers of a life focused on possessions may help schools and parents prevent the development of materialism in children.

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Purpose -Brands are facing key changes and challenges that need to be addressed from both the academic as well as the managerial perspectives. This paper aims to discuss some of them and revises the research agenda of the field of brand management. Design/methodology/approach -Conceptual implications are drawn from the analysis and discussion of the papers of this special issue, as well as from previous literature. Findings -In this global world in which brands are present in many different countries and operate in really diverse business sectors the classical brand management theories and many of their assumptions may need to be revised. Originality/value -The paper discusses the key challenges that brands are facing and encourages academics to use the rich diversity of methodologies that they have at their disposal and that can be extremely helpful to address the future research agenda of this field.